Star Fox: Wake up and Smell the Ashes
by Ben540
Summary: Fox McCloud has had enough with the Cornerian Military and is going AWOL to start his own militia. More detailed summary inside. Rating subject to change. No Fox/Falco.
1. Prolouge

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN STAR FOX OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS. I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE SONGS AND OR QUOTES! THE ONLY THING I OWN IS THE PLOT/STORY!**

****

**Author's Note: I actually had this sitting in my documents folder for awhile now, I just found it today and decided to upload it to FF. This story is told through the eyes of the teenager Fox McCloud, age fourteen. The story jumps from planet to planet, told through both first person narration and Fox's journal entries (Not a diary "dear diary/journal" thing). Fox ages a few times throughout the story. This was an experimental piece that I began a few months ago. The prologue is an informative, catching you up to the story so far. And, so far the prologue is all I have. Before I continue I would like you guys to tell me if you want me to write this, and if you do I will, and if you don't, I'll have this as a very small side project to work on when I have writer's block on my other story. Simple as that. Either way I'm writing it, but your votes will put a weight on my attention to it. Don't take my idea, please, I've had that happen to me in school and it created more trouble than a 100 was worth. I have added the Author's notes today.**

****

**Wake up and Smell the Ashes**

**Prologue - Informative**

Fox McCloud is fed up with the Cornerian Army, and goes AWOL to start his own militia. At age thirteen he is the youngest soldier to ever fight in the Cornerian Army, specializing in sniping and demolitions. He was placed in the 1st Recon Sniper Regiment, where he was hardly welcomed. The exclusion of important roles along with group activities started immediately, all the other soldiers thinking that Fox shouldn't have been there. It wasn't until his first month in the military when he met another teenage face. A bird. The blue bird was fast to show everyone up in the training exercises, everyone except for Fox. Fox and the new teenager stayed neck-to-neck in any and all things, not stopping their battle until Fox's fourteenth birthday. On that day it was announced that Space Fleet Commander, James McCloud, was killed in action. Fox received the all important Medal of Honor and Medal of Valor on his father's behalf. There at the ceremony, Fox broke down into tears, collapsing to his knees in the middle of the room, his head hung and body dead with tears streaming down his face. He had nothing in terms of family left. His mother had died when he was seven, and he had no other relatives. Peppy Hare, his father's partner in Star Fox, was the first to make a move, grabbing Fox's arm and pulling him to his feet, then directed him to his Arwing. There in the Arwing, Fox instantly became calmer, his head clearing. The Arwing was like a drug, and it hadn't even left the ground. First things first, and Peppy began to train Fox on how to fly the ship. Fox was a natural at flying and got a hold of the controls in an instant. From that point on, Fox became addicted to flying, both in the air and in space. He went to the docking bay everyday for the next few months, flying Peppy's Arwing until sunset. A few weeks later on January 21, 2033 Fox went back to the 1st Recon Sniper Regiment, returning to his neck-to-neck battle with the bird. The relationship between the two was non-existent until the bird managed to beat Fox in one of the training exercises. Unknown to both of them, that would launch their friendship. When Fox and the bird are assigned to work together on their first op the bird approaches Fox for the first time outside the training grounds. It was there that Fox formally met Falco Lombardi and found out that he wasn't the only one with dead parents. Falco had lost his parents months before he drafted into the military and took his spot in Fox's group. The two animals struck up an instant friendship from that point, which was crucial among the survival of partners. Their mission was a simple assassination and infiltration mission. The two would have to assassinate a small time gang leader, and breach their headquarters unnoticed to retrieve information on the gangs activities and possible infiltration points for the S.W.A.T unit to retrieve to illegal drugs and firearms that the gang held. It was an easy mission to start their military careers. The story begins at the start of their operation, and tells the story of how Fox McCloud and Falco Lombardi took over Star Fox. This is rated T at the moment but is subject to change to M due to graphic violence. Can you have graphic violence in a story? I'll just say that I describe the fights and deaths in detail. It contains small amounts of cursing and alcohol and drug use here and there.

****

**Author's note: **

**You're going to have to expect violence from this story, and you should also expect plot twists, light-hearted humor to lighten a sad moment, depressing moments, and **

**Krystal. Yeah, you're gonna have to expect Krystal to play into this somehow. You can't have Fox without Krystal! Or maybe I won't include Krystal, it depends on what direction I take this story on. **

**Shall I continue this? Or should I keep it as a small side project to work on? Leave your votes in the comments along with the Krystal or no Krystal votes underneath them. **

**For example:**

**Yes, please continue the story.**

**Yes, please include Krystal.**

**Or**

**No, work on this as a side project.**

**Yes, include Krystal.**

**Or**

**Yes, please continue the story.**

**No, do not include Krystal**

**Or**

**No, work on this as a side project.**

**No, do not include Krystal.**

**At the end of May, 2011 I will count up the votes and make my decision. Note that all of you readers/authors are a crucial part in this story. Speak now or forever hold your peace.**

"**PLACEHOLDER FOR A NEW SIGNATURE"**

**-Ben540-**

**Have a nice day, R & R.**


	2. Chapter 1 Long Awaited

_**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN STARFOX OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS. THE ONLY THINGS I OWN ARE THE OC'S LUCA**__**S GALLOWAY, MARCUS BISHOP, MAX PEPPER, JESSE "TIME" STOMPANTO, "RICHARD" AND THE STORY ITSELF.**_

**Author's Note:**

**Really sorry about the wait! I'm just going to get right to it and start, read the end note for information.**

**Chapter 1: Long Awaited**

"Bishop, Galloway," a voice came through a walkie-talkie on a chestnut furred vulpine's chest, "Lets go to work, double time."

"You owe me big time," a vulpine sighed into the small walkie-talkie, " Lets go Galloway."

"On your six," Galloway whispered, falling in behind his teammate, he placed his own small radio to his mouth, "Try not to kill us Lombardi." Lucas Galloway was a black feathered falcon with red markings around his blue eyes, and he looked remarkably like Falco Lombardi, spare a distinctive tattoo of a list of names on his neck.

Bishop, on the other side, was a vulpine with white spots of fur on his muzzle, head, and tail. He had emerald eyes with dark gray fur and he looked as if he could be Fox McCloud's shadier twin brother, "McCloud, you sure this'll work?"

"Relax, Mark, it'll be fine as long as we stick to the plan," a new voice came through the radio on Bishop's chest, the voice of me, Fox McCloud.

Marcus Bishop sighed once more, "Alright, but make sure you guys are using the rubber bullets."

"Oorah," I grunted, grabbing my sniper rifle and walking out of my hiding place.

"Oorah," they all responded.

Falco followed me out of the tent. We were both dressed as typical thugs. Falco donned a white wife beater, tattered, baggy, jeans, muddy sneakers, and the final touches being a black leather jacket with its collar turned up, the feathers on his head messy, and a gold chain hung around his neck. A tattoo of seemingly random lines ran up his left arm and up to his neck, fully completing the look.

I, on the other hand, wore a simpler outfit. A perfectly fitting white teeshirt covered my torso, and baggy cargo pants hung from my hips. I too had a tattoo on my left arm, identical to Falco's, but a long white scar interrupted mine, there for character. I donned a pair of combat boots and a small blaster clattered at the holster at the right side of my waist. I'm just glad they used temporary ink.

As we walked from the dark tent, we draped the straps of the rifles over our shoulders and let them dangle in the air. Surrounding us was one of the largest drug trading posts on Corneria. Junkies and dealers alike clawed through the less-then-sanitary paths to get their fix or more products. Bugs flooded the filthy dirt streets of the place. Needles and small plastic bags discarded all over the place. However, the real point of interest was the factory in the center of it, where drugs were made and from where the crime lords ruled.

A large, square, electric fence surrounded the building, barbed wire running along top of it. Just after the fence, a taller brick wall stood to stop any lucky trespassers. Along the wall stood guards. The whole thing looked like it didn't belong. The fence looked clean and strong, no dents or holes anywhere, and the brick wall looked as if it was just built, spare the occasional splatter of mystery material. The guards, though, fit right in with the other parts of the trading post. They looked dirty, tough, and angry. Some fidgeted and twitched, needing another fix to keep their bodies from going into withdrawal. While some were still and strong, not moving an inch while they ensured the protection of the building. Well, until now that is.

"Slip, I need a report on that big boom you promised," I said into my walkie-talkie..

Before long, an answer came back through, "Kelso says the C-4's placed, you're good to go."

I laughed, "Richard? He's here?"

"I like Rich," Slippy responded.

"He's new, man, he has zero training," I said, physically shrugging for no apparent reason. I mean, it's not like he could see me or anything, right?

Before my conversation with the fascinating Slippy Toad could continue, Falco punched me in the shoulder and hinted that the guards were taking aim at us. I instantly started to wave my hand in the air, silently telling two of them that Falco and I were taking over. Understanding, the two slid off the wall to drown themselves with what could only be Internet porn and cheap vodka. Once we were in front of the fence, the men we were taking the spots of opened a part of non-electrified gate to allow us in, and we all shook hands and nodded at each other as we walked past. Slowly, we made our way around the wall to a ladder.

The plan was simple, Galloway and Bishop would get in sight, and Falco would shoot them both with rubber bullets. From there, another guard and I would head out to confirm the kills. From there, I would take him out and me, Galloway, and Bishop will head back. I would claim that they had killed the guard, and Falco and I would then bring them inside the factory to meet the alleged boss, Jesse 'Time' Stompanato. The man responsible for my mother's death. Oh, boy, am I gonna have some fun with him. My spine is itching and I just can't wait.

Falco climbed the ladder first, looking a bit more anxious than me. Oh, yeah, this is going to be great. I coughed into the small radio twice, signaling the start of our plan. And wouldn't you know it, a dick on steroids shows up out of know where and fires a shot off. The large .50 caliber rifle he held in one of his Goliath palms didn't even make him flinch. Although, it did do wonders at shattering my eardrum. Gotta love super sensitive hearing when you're next to a ultra-super-mega cannon. I freaking hate that rifle anyway. The first thing I saw was Marcus fall in his tracks, a pool of blood surrounding him. Crap. When I looked to the side at the behemoth hand, I found that it belonged to an otter. Yeah, those freaky fur-less wrinkly things that love water. But, while most otters are fat-asses, this one looked like his muscles were chiseled out of solid rock. His shirt had to be at least two sizes to small, and his pants looked like something straight out of Douche-Monthly. Or maybe a woman's yoga magazine. He could have been a building, standing a good few levels higher then me. I think from head to toe, I wouldn't even stand as tall as one of his freakish muscles. Note to self: piss him off later. Maybe I'll stick something onto his face. Who knows.

The next thing I saw was something I wish I hadn't. Falco, being the hero he loves to be, jumped from the wall and over the fence. He rushed across the dusty street over to our downed trap-setter, and punched Lucas square in the jaw. Immediately, the guards started to bet on who would win. I, of course, voted for Falco, knowing what he was just making it look good. The others however, well, they had doubts. I threw my pocket's contents onto the ground where we were all crowded around, and smiled a toothy smile.

"I'm betting on the idiot in the leather jacket," I said, "Five G's."

"You crazy or summthin man?" the otter laughed, "that dog's as good as dead."

I smiled, chuckling, "Well, that 'dog'," I said, putting air quotes around dog using my fingers, "is actually a bird. A falcon to be exact."

He too smiled and laughed, "What are 'ya? His groupie?"

"Nope," I said, pulling the blaster from my hip and shooting the tank of a man in the chest, not once, not twice, but three times, "his partner."

Immediately, the five other guards that where around me took aim, handicapped with flashy guns. I never understood what was so amazing about owning a jewel encrusted blaster. Makes 'em look like idiots. Anyway, being the smart fellows that they were, they managed to have the safeties on. Each and every one of them. To be honest I got pretty cocky from that point on. I rolled my eyes and sighed, shooting one in the head. A white-furred tiger with multiple black tattoos and piercings literally everywhere. The molten hot laser scorched his skull, leaving a bloody hole going all the way through his head. And surprisingly, the small projectile went through the next two heads in line. The heads of a equally violated female wolf, and a rat. The next two, instead of switching off their safeties, decided to chuck their guns at my face, which I easily dodged by side stepping. They then decided to rush me, so I clicked on my blaster's safety and flipped it in my hand, grabbing it by the barrel to use it as a club. The first one, a fox similar to my height but pure red in color, threw a punch at my gut. I countered this by simply whacking him in the side of his skull, a _crack, THUD_ coming to my ears when the handle made contact and he fell to the ground.

The last guard actually managed to get my blaster away from me, and because he twisted my arm so far behind my back, I never got a good look at him. A loud _pop_ emitted from my shoulder, indicating that it was dislocated, and I gritted my teeth. I launched my head back, and hit the thing right in the nose, shattering it into a million different little pieces and painting the back of my head red. The animal fell to the ground, and I finally got a good look at them. He was a nasty looking thing. A bulldog whose face looked like it was rearranged by a bulldozer. "Whoops," I said, rubbing the back of my head where our bones met.

I grabbed my shoulder and took a deep breath of air, mentally preparing myself for what was to come. In one sharp motion, I placed my shoulder bone back to where it should have been, loud pops protruding from my fur. "I freaking hate doing that," I groaned out loud, groaning from the pain. I placed my finger to my ear, and started to search for my discarded blaster. "Command, this is Sniper Team Four, we've been compromised but are going to continue with the mission. I need an immediate air strike at this location," I said, pausing to look at my watch, "70 degrees 8 minutes North, 20 degrees 1 minute South. Point of interest is a large drug factory, Danger Close. I repeat, Danger Close, over."

After a long minute that I used to clean my blaster, they decided to respond, "Team Four be advised, we cannot send an air strike at this time, I repeat, we cannot send an air strike. Stay low and don't get yourselves killed. We'll have an extraction chopper at your location, ETA thirty minutes."

"To hell with that," I growled, switching my com over to Falco's earpiece, "Falco, command's screwing us over. Go loud, take 'em all out."

"Copy that, Stompanato's in the back left of the factory, there's a ventilat-" Falco wasn't able to finish, because I cut him off before he could.

"I'm going in gun's blazing, but by all means, feel free to crawl around the vents," I said, grabbing one of the jewel encrusted weapons from the ground. A shiny Colt M4A1 Carbine. "I'm going to have some fun with this," I smirked, checking the magazine. It looked full, but that didn't stop me from looting a few extra mags from the female wolf's corpse. It was a shame, she was quite attractive. Well she was if you discarded all the piercings.

"You're gonna get yourself killed, Fox, don't be stupid," Falco shouted.

I cut the com over to Slippy, ignoring him all together. I am going to leave with Stompanato's head, you can count on that, "Slip, I need a map of the factory, mark Stompanato's location."

"Nice talking to you too, Fox," the toad grunted, "I'm uploading it to your phone now."

"Thanks," I said, "wait, which button is the C-4 set to again?" I laughed nervously.

"The big red one on the home screen that says 'BOOM'," he laughed at my forgetfulness, and was clueless when I flipped off the camera he was watching.

"Awesome," I grunted, "by the way, where's Richard?"

"He's guarding the front door, dressed in a gray polo and tan cargo pants," Slippy offered even more of his extensive knowledge.

"Thanks again, Toad," I sighed, cutting the link, "Alright, Foxy, get Stompanato and get out. Don't lose your head."

I jumped from the wall and laid my sniper rifle on the ground, slinging the assault rifle over my shoulder and running at the wooden front door. I crashed into it at full speed, sending splintering wood everywhere and launching the two guards behind it into the ground. I instantly started to shoot, picking off a good lot of them before they gained their wits and started to shoot back. The lead bullets flew everywhere around me, some grazing the surface of my fur, others missing completely. Still though, I dove behind some nearby steel drums and looked around. The factory was huge, barrels and boxes littered the floor, providing good cover, and guns hung on the wall of a small square box in the far right corner of the room. As far as product, every box and barrel was filled every which drug. Be it crystal meth or simple tobacco, it was here. I couldn't exactly see everything, what with bullets and lasers flying everywhere around me. I watched in horror as the barrels slowly crumbled into nothing, leaving me fully out in the open. "Is it too late to say sorry?" I shouted, running for the next pile of cover.

Booming laugher surrounded me, jump-starting the ticking time bomb that is my temper. And what a temper it is. Although, sooner than I had expected, they pushed me over the edge, destroying something in my body that was holding me back. I looked next to me, seeing an open box of grenades. "Well that's unsurprisingly convenient," I chuckled, grabbing one, "looks like I won't have to fire a single shot."

"Wanna stop shooting?" I shouted over the gun fire, "No? Okay then, see you in hell!" I bellowed, lobbing a grenade at a group of lousy aiming junkies. I was scaring even myself now, they had just pushed me too far. The sick smile on my face when the grenade launched a dismembered hand next to me was too much for me to handle, but I was pushed further and further over my limit. "You know what I hate?" I said, "I hate the way you idiots hold your guns! What the hell do you hope to accomplish, shooting yourself in the foot, or shooting me?" I lobbed another grenade, this one aimed at a group of pistol totting factory workers, who held their guns sideways.

"Stompanato?" I was near shooting myself just because I was scaring myself so much, "Time's running out!" I chucked two grenades over my cover and next to a large group of ten animals blocking the door to Jesse Stompanato. The blast launched the animals into the flimsy, non taken care of, metal walls, a few of the heavier ones making large holes and dents.

And that's when I saw him, the angry look on his face was enough to drive me further into a rage. Stompanato's angry sneer was like a bright hazard light through the pitch black dust and shrapnel the grenade produced, it drove me insane. HE doesn't get to be angry. The low-life scum that killed MY mother, doesn't get to be angry. He had to pay, and I could tell by the instantly changing expression on his face, that he knew he was about to be beaten into the ground.

I could hear Falco cursing and shooting from behind me, as he made his way to my side. I wasn't just about to give Falco a chance at ruining my one chance for revenge though. I needed him out of my way. I didn't want to hurt him, but I was so too blinded by rage to even think. I chucked my last grenade at a structural support beam in an attempt to separate us, but it didn't go exactly how I planned.

When the small item of mass destruction exploded, it caused the weak metal beam to break down, and part of the roof came shortly after that. Although only a small part of the building collapsed, it caused the entire thing to shake and groan violently, warning that it couldn't take much more. But at that moment, a collapsing building was the least of my problems.

I watched in horror as a large chunk of jagged steel embedded itself next to Falco, riddling his body with small shrapnel. Although my view was limited, I could see Galloway dragging Falco across the floor, his body spouting blood, I heard him yell "The hell you doing McCloud? You're a freaking psychopath!" And I instantly realized that I had gone too far. But nonetheless, Stompanato was still inside my reach, and I'm not going to let him worm his way out.

I jumped from my cover and rushed at the room he was in, ramming into the door that protected him. I could see the fear in his eyes when the door shattered, and he shook so much that he couldn't even get the gun next to him. I'm surprised he hadn't peed himself.

The room was quite compared to the factory floor. It was almost ere. We were alone, completely alone, "I've been waiting for this for along time now, Stompanato," I growled, rolling my neck, "You killed y mother you know, made my life pretty sucky."

The animal shook, collapsing onto his back and staying frozen in his spot, "I-it was j-just a j-job ma-man, you g-gotta understand! It wasn't personal or n-nothin'!" Being the blabber mouth he is, he began trying to squirm his way out.

"Wrong answer," I said, pulling my blaster from its holster and shooting him in the left foot. The shot caused blood to splatter along my muzzle, and was accompanied by a blood curling scream, "Next one goes into the thigh," I said nonchalantly, not bothering to wipe the blood away, "You have sixty seconds to tell me the name of your employer."

"He'll kill me if I tell you," he growled, "I can't-"

"So why the hell should I care if you get shot in the back?" I shouted, lining up my blaster with his leg.

"No! Please, I have kids!" he was stalling now, and he was just annoying me now.

"My mom had kids, ever think of that? She was pregnant you know," growling, I pulled the trigger once more, causing a laser to make a clean hole in his right thigh, "Shame my sibling never saw the light of day. I'm sure she would have loved to get her hands of you."

"No more! No more, please God no more!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, desperate to stop his suffering.

"You can do better than that Stompanato," I smiled as I said this, pressing the barrel of my blaster to his chin.

"Anything, I'll tell you anything, please...please," tears streamed from his eyes and he chocked on sobs.

"I'd like to know the name of your employer," I stated.

Panting heavily, Stompanato gasped out the name, "His name was Pepper. General Max Pepper. He's a father of one boy about twenty years older than you. I think he's next in line. He lives on the base...gives missions to some special regiment of snipers. Not sure what their called," taking a long breath, he continued, "Called me up one day...told me he'd give me a hundred grand to waste some stay at home mom. Fifty G's up front, the other half after the job was done."

A spark sent my heart racing and my mind spiraling, my throat going dry. My vision became blurred when I realized the animal who ruined my childhood was the same animal who gave me a new life in the regiment. The animal that helped my father become the man he was. I couldn't believe it. My body now shook uncontrollably, my blaster clattering to the floor as I collapsed to my knees. My fur dampened, my vision blackening. I was lost in my own body, looking from the inside as my body caged me in and my heart deflated. Breathing became labored as it did hesitant. I was a shell, a prop set up in the center of a room for a sad painting. I couldn't move, I couldn't think, I couldn't do anything but breath and cry. My arms draped at my sides felt like wet cement. Heavy, moist, numb. Suddenly, I began to get a headache. Not an immobilizing one. But one that makes you want to kill something.

Instantly, feeling returned to my body, a sudden burst of adrenaline as I jumped to my feet and launched myself at Stompanato. It was a futile effort, however. unbeknownst to me, Stompanato had grabbed my blaster and was in the process of aiming at my skull when I jumped. Luckily, he didn't have time to adjust his aim and the laser pierced through a less vital area. Still, I was sent to the ground in a painful heap as the laser of my blaster flew through my right side. The blast sent me twisting in the air and a painful _THUD_ emitted from the floor as I landed. I couldn't move, I couldn't form words, and I couldn't comprehend what had just happened. All I knew was that I needed to stay alive. I've seen hundreds of movies and played all the games where things like this happen. And in all of them, the hero would suck it up and fight. But I couldn't do that, it just hurt too much to move. The movies and games also had the hero's instincts kick in, sending them into a badass frenzy of destruction as they cleared the rooms without trouble, only to save the hot girl at the end. My instincts weren't there, and there definitely wasn't a hot chick waiting to be rescued by me. I was all alone for my final battle. Stompanato was laughing, I could hear his cackling the moment my ears stopped ringing. It was a horrid sound. Too many cheap cigars is my guess. Then my head cleared, reminding me of the reason I was where I was. The date, the time, my friends, enemies. It was all coming back. I'm in a rusty old drug factory, in a half destroyed room with the man who killed my mother. The man who gave me my spot in the 1st Recon Sniper Regiment was a man who betrayed me. And I had been shot in what could only be my right kidney. Slowly, I closed my eyes.

Remembering the layout of the room, I began to think of strategies, options to turn the fight to my favor. My head was finally clear. I could finally think. My eyes snapped open, the hole in my kidney feeding my brain a drug. The pain felt small, what with my anger and adrenaline mixing together to form the perfect pain killer. But it made me reckless. I felt the scorching trail of a laser fly by my body and burn a part of my clothing, a bloody cut going up my ribcage, as I propelled myself up using my hands. Landing on my feet, another few shots flew by me, all missing terribly. He was getting scared again.

I ran directly at him, grabbing his foot as he tried to kick me, and pushed forward still. This set him off balance, and I swiped his leg out from under him, pushing the leg I was holding into his body once he hit the ground. Cracks and pops protruded from his leg as I pushed his knee further into his torso, and soon, his leg was broken and useless. I flipped him over and threw him against his desk and acquainted his muzzle with my foot as I curb stomped him. His jaw now broken, I hoisted him up and grabbed my combat knife from my belt. Giving him a fake 'every thing's fine' smile, I jammed the knife into the back of his throat. It was a gruesome attack that wasn't at all fit to my personality, but the anger I felt towards him was more than I'd ever experienced.

With the fight over, I had nothing fueling my energy, and I collapsed with Stompanato's body, lying still as I slowly drifted into nothingness, my hovering over the button to detonate the C-4.

**February 20, 2033 – Corneria Military Barracks, 0700 hours.**

Dad used to tell me to keep a journal or log of everything that happens so that I don't lose my mind. I never believed him until now. Peppy brought me a notepad to write on, and my mind's been clear ever since. It's easier to think, and easier to go about my day with a sane head.

Galloway got me out of the building after I blacked out. Gave me a hard time about endangering both the mission and everyone's life. It was worth it in my opinion. I haven't told anyone about what I was told, spare Falco. But Falco's in a coma. They expect him to wake up within the next few months but it's still nice to talk to someone. Mark made it out on the extraction chopper while I was playing super soldier. He got shot in his shoulder, just below his collar bone. He's going to be out of the action until he finishes his physical therapy. Galloway dragged me out of the building and took Stompanto's golden chain 'necklace' for me. He also took some shrapnel in his leg from my grenade, but he's fine now that he has a few stitches and a band aid. I didn't think he'd be so understanding what with me almost killing everyone and all. But he didn't ask questions and didn't want answers. I could have told him about the General, but I just don't know him enough to trust him with such a secret. The only reason I told Falco is because he's in a coma, and he's been like my brother for years. General Max Pepper's sending me on a scouting mission as soon as I'm walking, says I should be lucky he's letting me out on the field at all.

Fara's been coming around every once in awhile to scold me or bring me food. Sometimes just to sit and watch me sleep. It's kind of strange if you ask me. Yet, it makes me feel better when she's near me. Even when she's yelling at me. She is a fennec fox with light brown fur, and green eyes. She's also pretty good looking if you ask me. Fara's not part of 1st Recon, her talents lie in the vicinity of Deniable Ops. She doesn't exist, and she won't even get a burial if she dies. I've known her awhile, actually. I went to school with her for a couple of years back before mom died. Guess she decided to follow me into the ranks.

Mom always told me that my hardheadedness would get people hurt or killed one day. Mom's really are always right.

**February 23, 2033 – Corneria Military Barracks, 1600 hours.**

Richard's condition and whereabouts are being kept a secret. I really don't like that guy. He just showed up out of the blue as some special agent sort of character. I don't really understand who he is or what his intentions are, but thinking about him turns my stomach upside down. I just don't have a good feeling about him. But I feel like I know him. I don't know how he looks, his last name, the sound of his voice, not even what he does...but I feel like I know him.

**February 28, 2033 – Corneria Military Barracks, 1300 hours.**

My right kidney had to be replaced, the laser rendered it useless. They told me that I was a "lucky man" and that if they "hadn't replaced the kidney, I'd be dead.." I don't know why I'd be dead, it was only my kidney, after all, I have two. They said something about an infection, but I was too out of it to even know what my surgeon's name was. I guess I should be thanking Lucas for dragging me out of the building. I probably would have been dead without him.

Fara's visits are becoming more frequent now that I'm not sleeping all the time. And I enjoy the company to be honest. I find it easier to tell her things with every visit. And she listens with the utmost attention every time I speak. She tells me things too, like what her childhood was like, why she's in the military. Fara's mother died in the war, being a military woman, and her father was left to look after her when she was ten. Her father was distant though, always away working two jobs at a time to keep bread on the table. And when he was home, he was just too tired to do anything but say "hey" and collapse on his bed. This surprised me, because at school, she never had a passing thought of her parents. When ever a teacher asked her how her dad was, she would give them a bright smile and say, "He's great!"

Apparently, Fara had always wanted to follow in her mother's footsteps, and when she heard I was in the ranks without a problem, she decided to enlist. I guess all the time she spent sneaking past her sleeping father paid off, because she excelled in stealth training exercises. She was even able to put a blaster to the back of her Drill Sargent's head in a few seconds without being caught. After testing her skills in close-combat takedown's (which she excelled in because of her ten years of Krav Maga), she was ranked in the top ten and put into a special group of agents that were sent on Deniable Ops. She neglected telling me of her missions, saying that they were classified, but I was able to pry and gained the knowledge that she had a field partner, much like myself and Falco, codenamed "Lancer." No one knew the other's real name, for confidentiality and safety purposes. Her codename was "Foxcraft".

Apparently, Lancer was given that code name because of his superiority with long weapons, such as swords, axes or long spears. It's also rumored that he has a great advantage when shooting from a long distance. Fara has her codename for being clever and tricky, setting silent and deadly traps or talking her way out of a situation, only to stab her enemies in the back as they leave.

A girl that can handle herself. Never thought I'd see the day.

**Author's Note:**

**I'm not happy with this, but I wanted to upload it anyway because of my long absence. REALLY sorry about the wait, I was without a computer for awhile and had to use pencil and paper. Then I had to type it up and all that crud. I think I'm going to change the rating to M because the fight scene I have just comes off way to gruesome to be T in my opinion. And I don't want to be banned or anything, you know? **

**In other words, I tried to get a fourteen year old's attitude and such. Did I hit the mark? Come close? Way off? You'll see Fox mature through the story, and his opinions with change. Such as the last line of this chapter. He will also become less reckless with age, as of now he's more reckless than Falco, and I hope it showed.**

**This story will get my full attention along with "A City in Turmoil." Krystal will NOT be in this, instead Fara takes her place, (did I explain her background enough to be somewhat vague on events but full on why she's good at what she does?), Slippy is in this too.**

**I used both writing styles I'll be using in this chapter. Hope you guys like them.**

_**Lucas Galloway, Marcus Bishop, Max Pepper, Jesse "Time" Stompanto, and the mysterious "Richard" are all my characters, and can be used in another author's works UNDER MY PERMISSION, AND ONLY UNDER MY PERMISSION.**_

**ATTENTION: General Max Pepper is not General Pepper from the games. Max is his father.**

**Leave some critique in the comments please. Again sorry about the wait, and the length of the chapter, I'm going to try to get the next one out sooner but I won't make promises. A lot of stuff going on.**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter,**

**-Ben540-**


End file.
